ANDRADE CA. Flashcards
AIM
To investigate whether doodling improves our ability to pay attention to (or concentrate on) auditory info. (i.e a message heard but not seen).
To investigate whether doodling affects later recall of auditory info.
memory and attention.
Psychology being investigated-Dual Task Performance
Theory focuses on how people mange two tasks simultaneously. Study explores whether a simple secondary task (such as doodling) could improve performance of a primary task (such as listening to a monotonous message) by preventing mind from wondering.
Psychology being investigated-Cognitive Load Theory
This theory posits that working memory has limited capacity. Doodling could theoretically help by occupying only a small amount of cognitive load, hence preventing the mind from engaging in other more demanding distractions which could more significantly distract from primary task.
Psychology being investigated-Daydreaming and Wandering
Theories around daydreaming suggest that when a task is not fully engaging, the mind tends to wander, leading to decreased attention and memory performance. Study investigates whether doodling can anchor and reduce mind wandering during a boring task.
Psychology being investigated-Attentional Resource Theory
This theory suggests humans have a limited pool of cognitive resources for processing info. Doodling might act as a minimal attentional anchor, helping maintain a baseline level of engagement without significantly taxing these cognitive resources.
Background
-Previous research by Do & Schallert (2004) explored how certain activities might aid concentration, particularly in the context of performing primary tasks.
-Wilson & Korn (2007) focused on how secondary tasks could maintain arousal levels during primary task performance. This work suggests that engagement in a secondary task might prevent the decrease in arousal often associated with monotonous activities, thereby potentially enhancing performance on primary tasks.
Background Continued
According to Harris (2000), boredom is a very common experience, and Smallwood & schooler (2006) noted that daydreaming is a frequent response to boredom, even in controlled lab settings. This lone of research indicates that when individuals are not fully engaged in a task, their minds tend to wander, which can negatively affect their ask performance.
Participants and sampling
-40 pps aged 18-55 from the MRC Applied Psychology Unit Participant Panel were recruited for study.
-Pps were already part of pre-existing and readily available group, opportunity sample.
They were members of the general population who had volunteered to participate in research projects and were all paid a small fee for their time.
Materials
Telephone mock message recorder in a monotone voice and played at a comfortable volume. It included specific names and place almost irrelevant info.
Doodling group used a piece of A4 paper with printed shapes and a margin for writing down target info.
Task Instructions
Participants instructed to write down names of attendees, ignoring those that cannot.
In a doodling condition, told to shade shape without concern for neat or speed, as a way to alleviate boredom.
Data Collection and Analysis
After listening to the 2.5 min ape, response sheets collected-
IV
The independent Variable was whether pps were allowed to doodle whilst listening to message or not.
Pps in doodling group asked to shade alternating rows of ten circles and 10 squares (approx 1/1.5 in diameter) printed onto standard A4 paper.
Experimental design
Independent measures design- as researchers compared performance of 2 separate groups of pps, an experimental/doodling group of 17f, 3m, and control of 18f and 2ms.
Random Allocation used to control participant variables- e.g diffs in memory that might not have affected recall of target info. Order of recall (place and names) counterbalanced across pps.
False alarms
4—->3 humans and 1 cat.
Research Methodology
Lab experiment to see if doodling helped people to concentrate and remember info from a (mock-pretend) telephone message.